The Spartans 1 Forfar Athletic 0

The Loons were hit with a late sucker punch as a much improved Forfar side succumbed to a 93rd minute winner at Ainslie Park.

Forfar started well and it was the debutant Bradley Rodden who was involved from the off. He stole the ball from the defence after four minutes and found Josh Skelly who beat his man but was unlucky to see his strike come back off the post.

Forfar were back on the front foot not long after. Skelly, Cannon and Rodden were linking up well and the trio combined to free Skelly but his cross was just too far away from new signing Rodden.

Skelly again flashed one across the box after 14 minutes but it was deflected just wide of his own post by a Spartans defender.

The Spartans struggled to get to grips with the Forfar press in the opening stages and were limited to shots from distance. None of those shots looked like troubling Marc McCallum until the 42nd minute when a wind assisted free kick went all the way through and forced the stopper into a good stop.

The last action of the half came from a corner that caused trouble in the home box but neither Blair Malcolm or Josh Skelly could get enough contact on the ball to convert from close range.

The Loons began the second half as they started the first and played on the front foot but it was the hosts who had the first chance of the half when Blair Henderson got on the end of a loose ball from a long throw but he smashed well over the bar.

Forfar then began to take control and had a number of good chances. First Bradley Rodden sliced an effort wide before Josh Skelly’s effort was parried by Blair Carswell in the Spartans goal. Kieran Inglis looked set to score the rebound but the stopper somehow got across to stop the ball crossing the line.

Rodden was next to try his luck and he forced a strong save from Carswell, the ball cannoned off Josh Skelly but was travelling too quickly for him to turn the rebound home.

Carswell was again the thorn in the side of the Loons when he saved Josh Skelly’s effort after 65 minutes. Stuart Morrison headed very narrowly wide shortly after.

There were big calls for a penalty when the Spartans captain blasted the ball on to his own outstretched arm but the referee was unmoved.

Bradley Rodden was next to be thwarted by Carswell when his back post header was beaten away excellently.

The Spartans had a rare chance on 89 minutes when Stuart Morrison misjudged a long ball but Blair Henderson couldn’t take advantage and fired wide.

The Loons continued to push but couldn’t find the elusive goal. Just as Blair Carswell was being announced as the man of the match, the Spartans won a corner. After a good ten second period of pinball, the ball broke for Kieran Watson who lashed in to the net with the aid of a deflection.

Forfar almost got back on terms in similar fashion when a corner was swung in. It was cleared off the line by the defence and somehow didn’t fall kindly to a man in blue.

The defeat is another bitter blow to the Loons but there were plenty positives to take from what was a much improved performance.

Next week out the Loons face Stranraer at home. Absentees Adam Hutchinson, Ross MacLean and Bayley Klimionek will be assessed with Jackson Mylchreest nearing a return to training. The Loons will be without Filip Franczak who has headed out on loan to Strathspey Thistle.